S. P. Bhagat

Chetan Bhagat is an Indian author, columnist, screenwriter, and YouTuber, recognized by Time magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2010. He pursued higher education in engineering and business administration before embarking on a career in investment banking. During his time as a banker, Bhagat began writing, with his debut novel, "Five Point Someone," published in 2004. Following the commercial success of his early works, he transitioned to a full-time writing career.

Bhagat's novels, including "One Night at the Call Center," "The 3 Mistakes of My Life," and "2 States," have achieved significant commercial success and have been adapted into films. He has also ventured into screenwriting, contributing to the screenplay for "Kai Po Che!," which earned him an award for Best Screenplay. Bhagat maintains an active online presence through his YouTube channel and podcast, and has authored non-fiction works. He has received numerous awards and accolades throughout his career.

Born into a traditional Punjabi Hindu family, Chetan Bhagat's father served as a lieutenant colonel in the Indian Army, and his mother was a scientist. He attended Army Public School, where his interest in writing began to develop, contributing jokes to the school magazine. Bhagat earned a Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, in 1995. He furthered his education at IIM Ahmedabad, completing a degree in Business Administration with a marketing specialization in 1997. In recognition of his achievements, IIM Ahmedabad honored him with the Young Alumni Achiever's Award in the Arts & Entertainment category in 2018.

Before dedicating himself to writing, Chetan Bhagat spent approximately 11 years in the financial sector, primarily working as an investment banker in Hong Kong. His early banking career included a brief stint at Peregrine Investments Holdings before he joined Goldman Sachs in Hong Kong for several years. He later moved to Deutsche Bank in Mumbai as a director. It was during his tenure at Goldman Sachs that Bhagat penned his first two novels, "Five Point Someone" and "One Night at the Call Center." Upon returning to India and taking up a directorial role at Deutsche Bank, he published his third novel, "The 3 Mistakes of My Life." The considerable commercial success of this book prompted Bhagat to leave his banking profession and pursue writing full-time.

Chetan Bhagat's literary career began with his debut novel, "Five Point Someone," published in 2004. His subsequent books, including "One Night at the Call Center" (2005), "The 3 Mistakes of My Life" (2008), and "2 States" (2009), which drew inspiration from his own marriage, achieved significant commercial success. Later novels such as "Revolution 2020," "Half Girlfriend," and "One Indian Girl" also resonated with readers. Bhagat continued to publish, releasing "The Girl in Room 105" in 2018, followed by "One Arranged Murder" in 2020 and "400 Days" in 2021. Many of his novels have been adapted into successful films, including "Hello," "3 Idiots" (based on "Five Point Someone"), "Kai Po Che!" (based on "The 3 Mistakes of My Life"), "2 States," and "Half Girlfriend."

Chetan Bhagat's influence extends beyond his novels into other media. He has appeared on television as a judge for the dance reality show "Nach Baliye." Additionally, he featured in the Netflix series "Decoupled," where he played a fictionalized version of himself as India's bestselling author, positioned as a rival to the lead character. Bhagat has also contributed to screenwriting, co-writing the screenplay for the film "Kai Po Che!," an adaptation of his novel "The 3 Mistakes of My Life," for which he received a Filmfare Award for Best Screenplay. He maintains an active online presence through his YouTube channel, which features motivational content, and a podcast titled "Deep Talk with Chetan Bhagat," where he interviews successful individuals.